2010 has become the year where larger, sometimes corporate forces have latched onto the indie scene. Between Converse and Mountain Dew and Levi’s and Adult Swim, there have been a gamut of new songs and covers of classics done by excellent artists. And while it’s gone undetected by me to this point, Dr. Martens is doing the same thing to celebrate their 50th anniversary. With artists like Noisettes, The Duke Spirit and N.A.S.A. covering Buzzcocks, Sham 69 and Max Romeo, respectively, there are lots of cult classics on display, and they are all lovingly redone.
The Cinematic Orchestra daringly covers Jeff Buckley’s hauntingly fragile and beautiful “Lilac Wine” from his lone, definitive album Grace. It’s faithful to the original’s timbre, and while it doesn’t take it anywhere new, it ends up being a nice reminder of a much beloved artist. Jason Swinscoe – founder and lead singer of The Cinematic Orchestra – has a voice similar to Jeff Buckley’s, so it doesn’t sound unnatural, and the song gets a little more dressed up with the addition of strings.
(NOTE: I was unaware that this was also a Nina Simone cover, so thanks to commenter Todd for pointing that out. I should do a little more due diligence next time.)
Head over to Dr. Martens’ website to check out the rest of the free tracks, which you can get for an email address and your name, and check out the Jeff Buckley cover below. Coming on September 17th is the most intriguing entry – a cover of Cold War Kids’ “Something Is Not Right With Me” by Michael Davis of MC5 and D.O.A. fame. Stick around for that.
The Cinematic Orchestra – Lilac Wine (Jeff Buckley/Nina Simone Cover) (mp3)
Maybe it’s just me, but this past weekend went way too quickly. It was here and gone in what seemed like an instant, and now we’re back to the weekly grind. Such is live, I suppose.
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I’m in catch up mode, so I figured now might be the best time to use what duplicates the two of us may have come up with between our two 
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Submitting to my irrational dislike for odd numbers, I’m only going to post one song for this week’s chapter of 
This Tuesday brings you, dear readers, a veritable treasure trove of terrific tunes. We’ll start it off with an alternate, b-side version of a song you should already love, then you’ll make your way to a song that was loved intensely for a summer, only to have it put away until now, washed down with some excellent math, and we’ll cleanse your palate with a Billy Idol cover from those reuniting rockers who like to be naked. Let the feast commence.